Pão de Açúcar - The Sugarloaf Mountain

Pão de Açúcar - The Sugarloaf Mountain 

This immense rock at the entrance of the Guanabara Bay, was called Pão de Açúcar by the first portuguese discoverers, as it seemed a sugarloaf in their imagination.

The only safe way to get at at the top is by taking the cable car. The basis station is located at Praia Vermelha (the Red beach, a very small beach under the Pão de Açúcar), where you can buy the tickets. Unfortunatelly, you can´t buy in advance the tickets, so whether you´ll have to face a line or not, it will depend on how lucky you are, speacially in hollidays and weekends. 

Normally the line advances fast, as the cable cars are quite big and fast. 

The closest metro station is Botafogo, from where it departs a regular bus to Praia Vermelha. You can also walk (not so close) or take a taxi, which will be a very quick ride. 

The cable car first stops at the smaller mountain, where there are some bars and restaurants, as well an exposition of the cable car´s history. The second stop is at the peak. Views change more due to the high. 

Inside the Guanabara Bay you´ll see the Santos Dumont Airport, Rio´s domestic airport, and the Rio-Niterói Bridge, linking Rio to Niterói, Rio´s syster city in the other side of the bay. 

Downhill there´s the Urca neighbourhood, the Marina da Glória and Botafogo and Flamengo neighbourhoods. 

Looking west, it´s possible to see Copacabana and Ipanema and Leblon more distant. And, of course, the Christ and the Corcovado in the horizon. 

(above: some brazillian stone artwork, on sale at Pão de Açúcar)

I remark it is possible to climb the Pão de Açúcar, but in this case you´ll need a guide and special safe equipment for climbing. It is not a simple hike and it is very dangerous to try to climb this mountain alone. Look for guides or enterprises which provides this kind of equipment. For sure it is a very beautifull experience, but dangerous if caution is not taken.